Frozen Hearts and Sunflowers
by Youkai-ChoGonou
Summary: Rus/Ame implied. A bedtime story, a nightmare, and a Russian. Bittersweet.


**APH**

**Frozen Hearts and Sunflowers**

**AN: I know, I'm a spaz. But this was just a short break. I've almost got the third chapter of Sweet Devil done and my playlist strayed and this happened… Enjoy!**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"Aww, c'mon Arty! Pwease read it to me?" A tiny blonde boy with wide blue eyes sat on the edge of his bed looking up at the taller man. "Pwease Arty?"

"Don't you think something a little more age appropriate would suit you better? How about this—?"

"Noooo. I wanna hear that one!" The tiny child pointed a squishy finger at the book with the cover that matched his crystal blue eyes.

"Well… if you insist. But if you get nightmares tonight, I'll not be consoling you this time." The Englishman insisted, sitting down next to the young country. "Once upon a time, there lived a wretched mage who resided in the land of Ice. But as wretched as this man was, he was nothing compared to the king he served. One day, he dared go against his king's demands to banish a young boy to the frozen wilderness with his magic for stealing food for his smaller sister. The king accused the mage of having too much heart and, knowing a little magic himself, put a curse on the mage. He was to live in exile with a heart of ice, never to die. Eternally young and eternally wicked. The mage wandered the frozen lands for centuries until one day he met a small boy. The boy held the pride of a royal and the golden heart of a knight…"

"Are you the wicked wizard who wanders these lands?" The boy challenged.

"If I am being this wizard you seek, what are your intentions being?" The mage replied cryptically.

"I'm here to free this land of your haunting soul!" The boy drew his sword bravely and stood firm.

"Many have been trying for centuries, little one. You are being nothing special." But as the mage cast his spell that could freeze the hottest fires in the blink of an eye, the young knight, poised to attack, was unaffected by the spell.

"Your foul magic will have no effect on me, ghoul! Leave this land in peace, or I will end your miserable existence!" The knight warned.

"Even if I would be willing to be leaving this land, is not being possible." The mage replied. However, the knight saw something in those deep, cold eyes that he never expected to see. Sorrow. Perhaps this was more than just a being out to torment.

The knight lowered his sword and stepped forward, holding out his hand to the mage. "You are not the monster of the legends. Come with me. We shall put the beast to rest together."

This caught the mage off guard, for he was not expecting such a reaction. This had happened time and time again. A noble knight came to slay him, rushing headlong into a losing battle. Their frozen corpses littered the frozen wasteland. Was this knight just that kind and pure of heart or was he just that naïve that he didn't realize he was still facing the frozen beast that haunts this land. Either way, he was lonely and perhaps this boy could bring him some companionship before he froze to death in the tundra.

The mage and the knight travelled together for days upon weeks upon months. The mage never expected the knight to last days let alone months. He was impressed. To his dismay, he was beginning to enjoy the company of the little knight with the eternally warm heart. From beast to beast, they brought down each one in search of the frozen monster rumored to wander the land. The mage found himself yearning for the boy's bright smile and jovial attitude. He couldn't imagine wandering this frozen wasteland without him.

It wasn't until one battle, the terrain grew slick with ice and the young knight slipped. A fatal mistake. The snow beast was bearing down on him, inches from devouring him when the mage with the frozen heart stepped in and vanquished the demon with a powerful spell. As he helped the knight to his feet, he felt something strange. A warming in his chest. A feeling he hadn't felt for centuries. As his heart melted, so did the curse binding him to this world.

"Am wanting to thank you, little one. For thawing a long frozen heart of a bitter old man." The mage spoke. "The spell that was freezing my heart was also binding me to this land. You were showing me what it is like to be having warmth." But with that curse, went the mage's life as well, for he had lived far longer than any human was meant to live. The mage's one true moment of happiness would be his last moment as he faded in the arms of the knight who sent him free.

**OoOoOoO**

Alfred jumped, jerking awake from that frozen dream, gasping a name on the tip of his tongue. He was covered in a cold sweat, hugging his pillow close to his chest. The blonde fumbled around until he found his glasses.

"Is being that dream again, Little One?" Came a voice in the dark.

"Yeah…" Alfred replied, slumping against the headboard of his bed.

"Am promising, will not be melting into snow. Coming back to bed, da?" Russia looped an arm around the American and pressed a frozen kiss to his temple.

"Damn right you won't. Or I'll find wherever you puddled off to and kick your ass." The blonde leaned against his lover and closed his eyes again. "I should have listened to England when I was little. That story was such a bad idea." He muttered and listened to the low rumbling chuckle with his head tucked against the Russian's chest.

"Be seeing you in morning, da? Sleep."

"Yeah…" Alfred mumbled, but he was already falling back into his deep slumber.


End file.
